Circuit interrupter indicator



Aug. 31,1948. H. B. ADAMS 2,448,166

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER INDICATOR Filed Dec. 18,1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 w r, I ::,l

a INVENTOR,

Zm/Z/ Z1. flaanzs.

1 1,, IIIIIIIII! 1 '1' 1,1,,

Aug. 31, 1948. H. BLADAMS CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER INDICATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, 1944 INVENTOR fizz/mg.

Aug. 31, 1948. ADAMS 2,448,166

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER INDICATOR 1 IJ I I 1 1 111 I'I'I'I'III'III'I'I Patented Aug. 31, 1948 3 UNITED "STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCU IT INTERRUPTER 'iNDICATOR, Harold B. Adams, Mission,Kans. I

' ApplicatinDecen berd8,1944, Serial No. 568,735

This invention relates erence't'o a semaphore controlled by'moving parts of the circuit interrupter to indicate thevarious 4 Claims; (Cl. 200-167) I to improvements in a circuit interrupter indicator and has particular refthe provision of an improved, simple and reliable means for giving indication clearly and readily from a distance, of the operation of the'circuit" interrupter or circuit breaker.

Another object is the provision of a housed circuit breaker having movable parts operable to control the dropping of a semaphore to indicate the trip position of the circuit breaker, said semaphore being manually movable from outside said housing tore'set said circuit breaker.

Ai'urther object of the present invention is'the combination with a circuit interrupter olf a housing enclosing said circuit interrupter and also" i normally housing a semaphore which is caused a to drop as said circuit'interrupter is tripped and which is adapted to be manually operated to reset said circuit breaker.

Other: objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease and efficiency of operation and adaptability for use with the various types of circuit breakers having manually operable'setting levers.

With these objects in view, as wellas-other 'ob-" jects which will appear during the course of the specification, reference will now 'behad'to the drawings, wherein:

Figure its a front elevation f a circuit interrupter indicator embodying this invention with parts insection and with the interrupter in the closed position and dotted in the tripped 'position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on irregular line=IIII of Figil with a circuit breaker shown in the set position in solid lines and in'the' tripped position in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal, sectional view taken on line III-'-III of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional of the parts shown in Fig. 2. I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to that shown in Fig fl view of some with the circuitbreaker in the tripped position in solid'lines in the reset position in dotted lines.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken of Fig. 5.

onlineVI-VI' -5()' Fig.7 is an enlarged sectional view taken" on line VII'VII of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line VIII-VIII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an elevationalview of a modifiedformof thef'circuit interrupter indicator with parts in 1 section. a

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary side view of the cir-' parts in section.

cuit interrupter indicator shown'in Fig. 9 with v Fig. 11 is'a-horizontal sectional view taken on line XI'-XI of Fig. 9.

Throughout the several views like reference characters refer to similar parts and the numeral the normal operating-position of the lever. When an overload" trips thejcircuit breakerythe lever move's'upiivardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the circuit is open. The "reset position of the lever 2 2 is shown in dotted lines-in Fig. 5.

Circuit breaker 20 has a face plate i4 through which; the manually operable setting lever '22 extends and this plate also serves to secure the circuit breakerin position in the housing 28. This housing 26 comprises an elongated tubular member 28 having a closed top 30 and'aclos'ed bot-" tom] 32 provided with an elongated slot opening 34. Brackets 36 'secured'to one side of the tubular member are provided with, screw holes 38- through which screws or rivets are extended to engage the housing to a suitable supporting elementk.

The semaphore structure 40 includes an indieating member 42 comprising a disk head 44 having a central opening 46. This disk head is carried'b'y'an arm 48 pivotally mounted on block!!! carried byhous'ing 26 by means of pin 52; 'This' indicating member 42- is sopositioned relativeto slot opening '34'that it may pass freely there through to expose the disk head below housing 26. Pivoted to arm 48'is rod 54 which is slotted at its upper end at'56 to receive a pin 58 which extends through-the outer endportion of set ting lever 22. It' willbe notedth-at when the indicating member 42 is in thera'ised position within the housing and the setting lever is'in the v set" or on position; the pin will be at the lower end of slot 56 as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Securely'mounted'on face plate 24 and invertical alignment below setting lever 22 is a channel member 60 having out-turned side flanges 62 which are secured to face plate 24 by means of rivets 64. The upper front wall of channel member 60 is cut away at 66 to receive the upper end of trip lever 68 which is pivoted intermediate its ends by pin 10 to the side walls of channel member 60. The lower end portion of trip lever 63 extends downwardly into channel 60 and is provided adjacent its lower end with a latch detent 12 which extends through an opening I4 formed through the front Wall of channel 60.

cuit breaker indicator. This form is especially adapted for use with a simple circuit breaker I having a manually operable setting lever I02 which has an on and o position only. Since in many instances, it i necessary to use two of these circuit breakers to properly control the circuit being used, two independently operable semaphores I04 and I06 are provided. These switches are securely mounted in a tubular housing I08 A springmemben16'secured atflB'i-to f,ace:pla,te'. 10 havingega zclos'ed atopgIIfl and ta-:closed bottom H2 24 is formed toengageth'e'rear side'nflatch detent I2 to force it outwardly through opening 14 into the path of travel of arm 48 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. A guard member 80 secured1atYits=up-,-- per end to the outer face of channel 60 is spaced form a recess 82 to receive the arm. 48.- Latch. 'detent I2 is provided at its lower extremity with a downwardly and inwardly inclined surface-245 5 against which arm 48 moves when the indicating member :42 ads returncdgfrom .theadropped posie tion to the set or on position so as to force. the trip lever against spring. 6: :and move it on i-tspivot to .permitthe positioning-of.arm- 40.

thetarmc 48 has moved -.a;bovc--.the.latch detent 12, the spring I6 will automatically-5'forceathe trip arm forwardly to engageandumaintain the indie catings -lmember 421 in: the-raised position The;

which is-provid'ed with .'a transverse slot I I4. Semaphore indicating members II6 and I18 are pivotally mounted on a common trunnion I20 which in turn is mounted in a block I22 secured to 5 bottom member II2 by screws I24. Semaphore apart from channel 60 at its lower -portions:to

IM hasa display disk I26 mounted on an arm I28 which is bifurcated at I30 and perforated to pivot on trunnion I20."

Indicating member II8 of semaphore I06 20 provided with a display disk I32 mounted on an arm IMi -which isradapted-to fitibetween-the hi furcatedendsot arm 128- andtoreceive trunnion IZ0I-for. oscillatory movementt-hereon. Rod I36 pivotedstotarm.rl28 by pin .I38 -is'=provided at its. thereabove as clearly shown in Figt lm. When 25 ulpper end with an eyelet I40 tozreoeive pin-.142.

IOZi In-likemanner, rod..l44 -pivoted to arm I34 by pin I46 is connected-with pin I42 carried by, the setting lever of the-other.circuitbreaker, thus upperend portion -of-;.-tri'p=arm:68-is provided-with 301 each of the circuit breakers is-provided witha' a vertically elongated .,ope,ning 186,-which. -.termi-. natesa-t its upperendin.Lan., u-pwardly=and rearv wardly: :inclined";,cam=' faceaflBw It will be noted:

that-.theopeninggBB-is sufllciently wide to permit; the automatic.latching. of the arm '48 as just 'describedo: For the purpose %of.- releasing the indicatingmemben 4-2 totpermitf the-drop .to-th eindicating position as .shown =in-.F.ig. ,1 when .-the circuit rbreaker is tripped-andthe settinglever 22..

lines 1 in .Figs. 1 and =2,;-ithe.-following mechanism. is pllQVided.

A U-shaped member 90 formed at its free ends:

to .present eyes; 92. which. engage .onipin- 58=-is-a semaphore .whichoperates. to indicate the-W0 position of the circuit breaker.

and' II8.-are adapted to passethrough-slot'I I4 when-the.settingtlever. is'in-the ,foif. position so. thatithe -.disks=-..I26..and I32 willzindicateuto. the moves. upwardlyto .the'position show-naindot'ted 40 operator. that-.thecircuits ane 01f.

aton byr simply pressingmpwardlyon the dropped The oper-.

indicating member, may {force it upwardly. thereby moving the setting lever back "tothe setting; position. Intthis. type, of.-circuit. breaker, as well crossbar portion 94.-whichextends through slots .as .inithe othenbreaker.shown-,thesetting levers,-

96 formed through; the rsidei walls of channel 60 and also through (the opening a 86 .of triptarm; 68; Refer-ring to. Fig... 4,; it twill-. be noted. that this: cross bar 94 rests. againsttcam iface Ni -when the when inovedi to a certain intermediate position-,- will, automatically. flip -.to the :desired position,

thus insuring that the indicating members-will alwaysJ-besmoved to .the proper-position within setting.-;1ever 22 .is int-the .set. ,or fonh positiom the housing; when sthecircuit sis-closed.

It is quite apparent-thatiastthet-crossibari.94:is-;.

In: both :form-s of the 1 inventiom the structures.

are so made and operated that the operator-may r readily-,detectall.circuitsthat have' been tripped;

and imaygeasily reset: the semaphore armz outside .,,55 the ,.housing,.sin-.the i circuit breakers are,

mounted... The pcsi-tioning\ofthe operating-parts. A within a substantially closed housing precludes.

the .eentranceaof, objectionable.- birds orinsects from.,the movable-parts and ;.also maintains the.

substantially rest onpin 58...: Thedisk. 441s now. tpartsin good; condition for-proper operation...

in a position so. thatit is .readilyL-yisible. and will. indicate .to .the operator. that the circuit breaker... is in the fopen.-.or trippedpositiom For. reclosing; the -.circuit breaker, the operator engagesthe indicatormemben42;;movesit.down -ting lever, a housing for said circuitinterrupter wardly to the..-.positi:on shown dottedlines Fig. .5, and then; .moves.,-it.upwardly onr.its. piyot,.. '52 .tmforce .the. setting levermpwardlst until..it automatically snaps) to. the -..set! .or.. onii posi-.

tion. Theapparatus.isnowiin.position-tmhandle.J10 to drop through said bottom opening and project Reference will. nowbe had .'to.Figs..9,..1 0- and,

Having thus described theinvention, .whatJ having-ta .bottom; opening; anda semaphore pivotally., mounted tin-W .said housing. .and. interconnectedwitlr said-setting.leverwhereby when said.

setting down is tripped. said. semaphore is caused:

below said housing, andto be. manually. operable downwardly from outside said .hOllSiIlQziSO -reset..

the-circuit interrupter-to the closed position 2. In a device of the character describeda cir:-

11 wherein isshown amodifiedtformaof. the cir-r. cuitthreakerrhavin-g. a..setting..lever.. having an:

on-position, a trip-position, and a reset-position, a semaphore having a pivoted indicating arm, latch means to normally secure said indicating arm inposition to indicate the on-position of the setting lever, means operable by said setting lever as it moves from the on-position to the trip-position to release said latch means whereby the indicating arm is permitted to drop by gravity, and means interconnecting said setting lever with said indicating arm whereby the indicating arm may be manually operated to move said setting lever to the reset-position and then to the on-position.

3. In a device of the character described a circuit breaker having a setting lever adjustable to an on-position, a tripped-position and a resetposition, a semaphore having a pivoted indicating arm, latch means to normally hold said indicating arm in the raised position, means operable by said setting lever as it is automatically moved from the on-position to the tripped posi- 1 tion to release said latch means and permit said indicating arm to drop by gravity, and means interconnecting said indicating arm with said setting lever whereby the indicating arm may be manually operated to move said setting lever to the reset position and to the on-position.

4. In a device of the character described a circuit breaker having a setting lever adjustable it isautomatically moved from the on-position to the tripped-position to release said latch means and permit said indicating arm to drop by gravity to extend from said housing and means in-' terconnecting said indicating arm with said setting .lever whereby the indicating arm may be manually operated to move said setting lever to the reset position and to the on-position.

HAROLD B. ADAMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 462,834 Armstrong Nov. 10, 1891 1,129,628 Berry Feb. 23, 1915 25 2,225,362 Young Dec. 17, 1940 2,257,033 Bissell Sept. 23, 1941 2,330,461 Wantz Sept. 28, 1943 2,376,503 Pearson May 22, 1945 

